f a famous beer brand did horseracing, the Cheltenham Festival would be it. It’s not just four days of horses running round a field, it is the pinnacle of the sport, drawing people from every section of society, from either side of the Irish Sea to deliver a truly unforgettable day.

What to expect

The equine extravaganza attracts almost 250,000 racegoers over the four days making it the fifth best attended sporting event in the UK in 2015.

They consume in the region of 200,000 pints of Guinness, 8,000 sticky toffee puddings and 8,000 gallons of tea and coffee. With over £150,000,000 bet during the Festival, the atmosphere on course is the modern answer to gladiatorial battle or the equivalent of the Equine Olympics, with the very best horses in Europe competing.

The Costs

Tickets start at £22 for advance tickets and rise to £95 depending on which day you go on and where you choose to watch the racing from. If you want to make it an extra special day, hospitality and restaurant packages start from £215 per person. Head to the Cheltenham Racecourse website for more details.

Transporting Yourself

If you’re planning on driving, there is plenty of parking but make sure you get there early to ensure you don’t miss any of the action.

For those planning to get there by train, it couldn’t be easier. If you’re heading up from London, just get yourself along to London Paddington, hop on one of the direct services to Cheltenham Spa and sit back and relax for the next two and a quarter hours as you paw over the form in the Racing Post. Direct trains also run from Bristol and Birmingham.

Once you arrive at Cheltenham Spa Station, getting to the course is a simple choice. Either jump on the shuttle bus which leaves outside the train station (£5 return), or walk through the charming spa town to the racecourse which will take you around 40mins where you have the option of a taking in a pub-themed pit stop on the way!

Where can I watch it?

If your boss won’t let you have the day off to head there in person, don’t worry. You can still catch the action live on Channel 4 and Racing UK. You can also tune into Channel 4 for The Morning Line each day at 8am to get all the latest news ahead of the action in the afternoon.

The Irish

Almost as integral to the Festival as the horses themselves, the Irish, both as fans and competitors, really bring the four days to life. Flights from the Emerald Isle are in such high demand that Ryanair have to put on extra flights to cater for the 20,000 fans making the journey over.

Such is the rivalry between the Irish trainers and their British equivalents that organisers decided to make the unofficial rivalry, official with the creation of the Betbright Prestbury Cup in 2014. Last year saw Britain clinch it by just one winner, but with the ammunition available to Irish Training Supremo Willie Mullins, the Brits might be in for a tough four days this year.

How to sound in the know

“Willie Mullins looks to have an exceptionally strong string coming over this year.”

“[insert horse’s name] really looks like it has been campaigned for Cheltenham this year”

“[insert horse’s name] is the banker of the week.”

“Ruby, Ruby, Ruby.” [like the Kaiser Chiefs’ song]

Things not to say

“When does the Grand National take place?”

“How does Victoria Pendleton get her bike over the fences?”

“I’m not a fan of Guinness.”